Amateur Public Links Championship

Godwin Captures Victory at Public Links

CHAMPIONSGATE, Fla. – Tiger Godwin was victorious at the Amateur Public Links Championship on Sunday at ChampionsGate Golf Resort. The victor from Fort Meade secured the one-shot victory with a 6-under 210 for the three-day championship to capture his first individual FSGA championship.

Godwin got the championship started with a first-round 71, carding a bogey-free back side with four birdies. He followed that up with another 71 in the second round to finish the day in a seventh place.

Beginning the final round four shots back of the leaders, Godwin carded an impressive six birdies, three of the birdies being on the seventh, eighth and ninth. He was tied for first in the field for most birdies with a total of 15 over the three rounds.

Godwin bogeyed the par-3 17th, but bounced back strong with a birdie on the par-5 18th to post the lead score in the club house. Godwin fired a final round 4-under 68 to secure his first FSGA victory since the 2017 Four-Ball Championship with Kelly Sellers.

Richard Donegan and Marc Dull took home a tied-for-second finish at 5-under 211. Donegan made a move up the leaderboard after beginning the final round in a tie for 5th. He put together three consistent rounds of 71-70-70 and a total of 13 birdies for competition.

Past FSGA champion, Marc Dull started the final round looking to add to his victories. He began the day tied for second place and held the lead after the 50th hole of competition, but two late bogies on 17th and 18th put Dull back into a tie for second. The Lakeland native also carded constant rounds of 70-70-71 and a total of 12 birdies over the the days.

Godwin, Donegan and Dull were the only three players in the field to post three under-par rounds for the championship.

The Amateur Public Links Championship continues to test some of the best amateur golfers in Florida, on the state's best public golf courses. This Championship is a weekend packed with great competition between a list of very successful Champions. Although the competition is fierce, the format is as simple as it gets - 54 holes of stroke play with no cut.

**Mandatory** read the eligibility questions below prior to entering to verify you are eligible.

Championship Format

• 54 holes of individual gross stroke play
• Maximum Field Size - 84 players

Eligibility

• Male amateur bona fide "public links" golfer
• Entrant is required to be a member of the FSGA, with a Florida GHIN not exceeding 7.0

Male amateurs must be bona fide public course players, since January 1, 2020, and have not held privileges at any course that does not extend playing privileges to the general public, or privileges at any private club maintaining its own course. 

A bona fide public course player may hold incidental privileges at a course not open to the public when such privileges are provided by; an educational institution at which he/she attends, a federal armed service at which he/she is a member, or an industry by which he/she is employed.

If you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions, you are NOT ELIGIBLE for this year's FSGA Public Links Championship:

1. Private Club Access - Have you had privileges at a private club (not open to the public) at anytime during the current year?
2. Social Memberships - Do you maintain a social membership at a private club that allows you to play the course sometime during the year?
3. Dependents of Members - Does your spouse or parent/guardian belong to a private course and as a result you are allowed to play the course without a guest fee?
4. Golf Course Employees - Have you been an employee at a private course during the year, where you are allowed to play golf more than one day per week?
5. Resort Courses - Do you have a membership at a resort that restricts which days resort guests can play?
6. Golf Team Members - As a member of a scholastic golf team, are you allowed to play a private course not owned by the school at times other than your regular golf season including playoffs and championships?

Permitted Exceptions:

• Military Courses - A player, because of his military service may hold privileges at a facility from which the general public is excluded.

• County and City Courses - A player may be a member at a course open to county or city residents even if it is closed to nonresidents.

• Handicap - There is no restriction to where a player maintains his handicap.

Entry Fee

• $235

Late entries will be accepted subject to a $10 late entry fee should the entrant gain acceptance into the field

Schedule of Events

Friday, June 11th

•  7:30 AM - 9:27 AM - Round one tee times off #1 and #10 tees - International Course

Saturday, June 12th

• 7:30 AM - 9:27 AM - Round two tee times off #1 and #10 tees - International Course

Sunday, June 13th

• 7:30 AM - 9:27 AM - Final round tee times off #1 and #10 tees - International Course
• Awards ceremony immediately following the completion of play

Entry Priority

With the ever growing popularity of the Public Links Championship, the FSGA Championships Committee instituted Entry Priority in 2020 with the reduced field and has expanded the priority for 2021. The entry priority will be as follows.

• 75% of the field will be determined using the following order of preference - 63 Entries
• Previous 5 years Amateur Public Links Champions
• Top 30 in previous year's Amateur Public Links Championship
• Players qualifying for any of the previous year's USGA Individual National Championships
• Any players making the 36 hole cut at the previous year's Florida Amateur or Florida Open Championship
• Top 50 on the previous year's Amateur Player of the Year Points List
• Players Selected by FSGA Championship Committee (up to 5 spots)
• Handicap Index on Entry Close Date
• 25% of the field - First Come, First Served - 21 Entries

Course Set-Up

Practice Rounds

Practice rounds are available one week prior to the championship on a space available basis and after 12:00 PM on the weekend.  The price for a practice round is $35.00 + tax.  Please call (407) 787-4653 to arrange your practice round. The proper place to practice your golf swing is on the driving range, hitting multiple shots on the course is unacceptable.

Defending Champion

Fred Biondi captured the 2020 Amateur Public Links Championship after firing rounds of 68-68-68--204 to win by two strokes.  Biondi held off the 2019 Public Links Champion Nicholas Gabrelcik as well as Joseph Trim whom both finished in a tie for second.

Exemptions Earned from this Tournament

Winner

• Current year's Amateur Championship
• Current year's Amateur Match Play Championship
• Next year's Mid-Amateur Championship

Other Policies

• Spectators and Spectator Cart Policy - Click here.
• Caddies - Caddies are allowed in all FSGA Championships except Junior events. The caddie MUST walk and the player's clubs must remain on the golf cart. - Click here 
• Championship Pace of Play Policy - Click here.
• Local Rules and Terms of the Competition - Click here.
• Championship Policies - Click here to read the withdrawal, dress code, and other policies.
• Procedures for Alternates - Click here for information on how alternates may gain entry into this Championship.
• Conditions/ Schedule - The FSGA Championships Committee/on-site Rules Committee reserves the right to alter any of the conditions, provisions and/or schedules. The decision of the Championships Committee/on-site Rules Committee in any matter will be final.

Host Hotel and Accommodations

There is no host hotel.

Payment

ChampionsGate Golf Resort accepts all major credit cards for payment.

Directions

ChampionsGate Golf Resort
8575 White Shark Blvd.
ChampionsGate, FL 33896
(407) 787-4653

Click here for directions